A Loving Reunion For A Mama Dog And Her 9 Puppies

Residents and police in Toms River, New Jersey helped rescue and reunite a mother Jack Russell terrier with her nine newborn puppies (of an unknown — but adorable! — mix) this past Wednesday.

It all started when a woman noticed a nursing dog and two puppies walking near the street. The woman and her two children stopped to rescue the mother and her pups — they were able to grab the puppies but not their mother as she ran away into the woods. Animal Control officers Dale Beley, Tom Manolio and Stacy Garabics took the pups.

A search began for mama Jack Russell. Law enforcement got involved, searching the woods for her.

While searching for the mother, police happened upon something even greater than one lost dog: Officer Eric Divone found seven puppies in a makeshift den 50 feet from the sidewalk. Still no mom, though. So they set a trap (a humane one, of course) near the den and waited for her to walk into it — five hours later, she did.

Once they were reunited, the mother and her puppies received veterinary treatment. Check out the pic the police snapped of the reunion!

The dogs are currently housed at an animal shelter in Toms River. A search is underway for their owner, but if they remain unclaimed after three weeks, they will be put up for adoption. Hopefully, they will either return to a home of love, or be adopted by an equally welcoming family.